American Hope Tops Second Day Of Tattersalls July Sale

Lot 552: American Hope (USA)
Lot 552: American Hope (USA)

AMERICAN HOPE, who finished a close up sixth in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot at his last start, topped proceeding’s on the second day of the Tattersalls July Sale when selling to BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohoe for 210,000 guineas. Trade on the second day saw a total of 137 lots sold for 2,309,700 guineas at an average of 16,859 guineas and a median of 11,000 guineas.

AMERICAN HOPE, who was consigned by Mike Murphy Racing, is a four-year-old son of LEMON DROP KID and was offered with an official rating of 100. The Listed-placed gelding caught the attention of agent Jamie Lloyd, Dubai-based assistant trainer Bhupat Seemar, and Stroud Coleman Bloodstock’s Matt Coleman, but it was Donohoe who secured the four-year-old for 210,000 guineas.

"He's for an existing client and has been bought for the Dubai Carnival," said Donohoe.

"He is a horse I have followed for a while, ever since he was in training at Willie Browne's as a two-year-old and won at Dundalk. He is a high class individual, he is effective on all surfaces and I am pleased we have bought him."

Leading Qatari trainer Gassim Ghazali secured the four-year-old gelding GO SAKHEE. The son of SAKHEE’S SECRET, was consigned from Roger Varian’s Kremlin House Stables, and is now the winner of three races having been successful over 1m2f at Nottingham on Saturday. The gelding was bought today by Ghazali, sat in his usual bidding spot under the window alongside agent Will Douglass, for 88,000 guineas.

"Go Sakhee won well on Saturday, and is a nice horse with ability - we are looking for horses with some quality," said Ghazali.

GO SAKHEE was bought as a yearling by Roger Varian for 32,000 guineas at Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale and was sold with an official rating of 89 following his seventh length win on Saturday.

GRAND ARGENTIER, who has been running in France, winning twice and picking up a Listed third at Saint-Cloud, will be heading to Dubai after he was knocked down to Justin Byrne for 80,000 guineas. He was sold by Con Marnane’s Bansha House Stables, having been trained in France by Matthieu Palussiere for Marnane’s wife Teresa.

"I run Emirates Entertainment Racing Club and this horse is for the syndicate. He goes to Dubai and will be trained by Doug Watson," says Byrne. "I am good friends with Con [Marnane] and have missed horses before he has recommended and they have turned out to be good - so we were keen for this horse!

"On pedigree he looks as though he will go on Dirt, but he has a rating good enough for the Carnival too and the Turf - so we have plenty of options."

Australian Chris Waller was one of the pioneers when it came to sourcing horses in training from England to take ‘down-under’ and has successfully mined both the July Sale and Autumn Horses in Training Sale over the last decade. Via New Zealand based agent Guy Mulcaster he secured the DANSILI colt ORIENTEER for 65,000 guineas on the second day. The Juddmonte Farms-owned colt has won three races from five starts in France for Andre Fabre and was offered with a ‘Timeform’ rating of 103. Waller has enjoyed great success with Juddmonte consigned horses in the past with triple Group 1 winner FORETELLER and Group 1 Sydney Cup winner STAND TO GAIN amongst his previous purchases.

The Tattersalls July Sale continues at 9.30am on Friday, July 10th.